Damaged Secrets
by accionix
Summary: Draco looked at her now, breathless and eyes bloodshot, her cheeks damp from tears that had fallen moments before. Her face filled with hurt and rage, he could see her eyes were searching for answers in his. He knew exactly why she was here, the frantic way she called out to his name, the desperation in her voice, had given it all away. HBP One-shot/Drabble. DRAMIONE.


This happens during HBP where Katie Bell gets hexed. Instead of Harry finding Draco, it's Hermione, but they've had an ongoing relationship in secret, of course. Here's the outcome when Hermione finds out that it was Draco. Enjoy!

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"**Draco**!"

He had not even seen a reflection on the mirror but the boy's head spun around so quickly at the voice that he heard his neck crack. His wand at hand, drawn instinctively at his side protecting himself, it was a safety of sorts all these years to keeps his sanity in check for situations where his back was turned. He is then met with a familiar pair of brown eyes. He lowered his wand swiftly, sighing with relief that no curse had sprung out of his lips.

Draco looked at her now, breathless and eyes bloodshot, her cheeks damp from tears that had fallen moments before. Her face filled with hurt and rage, he could see her eyes were searching for answers in his. He knew exactly why she was here, the frantic way she called out to his name, the _desperation _in her voice, had given it all away. He looked at her hair, that bushy mane of hers which drove him mad, was exceptionally out of place with strands threatening to fall out of place. He would have laughed at this under other circumstances. It would have been something they laughed at, but the current situation was no laughing matter. He did something she would _never _forgive him for.

"Granger….I can explain," Draco carefully spoke, not wanting to anger her even more. "If you would listen carefully, I—"

"I know what you did! I know," the tears began to force it's way out of her eyes. "You hexed her didn't you? It was _you_," she raised her voice, her body shook with fury, and Draco could see her ball her fists, her knuckles turning almost as pale as Draco. He watched her as she struggled to keep her anger to a minimum.

"Wait, if you'd let me explain—" His heart dropped, he couldn't tell her. Draco stepped forward slowly, cautiously, only to see her take two steps back. It was too late, the trust between the both of them had shattered right then and there.

Granger shook her head. "NO! NO! So you _did_! I can't believe it. I can't believe you! I trusted you…I cared about you…even—" This time she let the tears fall freely. The past tense she was using hurt, and it hurt him a lot. It was never his intention for her to find out, but being Hermione Granger, that would be impossible. He followed her tears trail towards the cold ground, too afraid of looking into her eyes.

"Tell me," her voice a bare whisper that Draco almost didn't catch it.

"Tell you what?" His throat was so dry that he could barely choke out the words.

"Why you did it," she questioned.

There was a heavy silence between them. Draco thought about the question long and hard, but there was no way he could tell her the real truth.

"Granger I can't, it's—complicated," was the best he could put into words.

"Complicated," she laughed. "Katie, she was—she was innocent! You had no right!" She threw her hands up, waving them frantically in the air.

"Please, there's so much more going on than you think!" He spat.

She took three steps back.

"Hermione, please…just—," he pleaded desperately for her to see reason. But, how? He couldn't even tell her. He was alone in this. Granger would never understand why he did it. He needed to do it, get the job done or else….

"No, you don't get to call me that!" She yelled so loudly that it echoed in the room.

You are a _coward,_" She hissed with as much venom that could possibly come out of her innocent little mouth.

Before he could reply, she had already left leaving him with words that stung as he played it in his head over and over again. The sound of her footsteps fading with every step. It was done. Draco knew that he wouldn't be able to be forgiven for this. Hermione was a smart girl and he knew that she would eventually figure out the whole thing. He was foolish to think that this lie would last. That he could hide this from her.

He turned around and looked at himself. He was a fool, he thought. He couldn't even pity himself. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears, but his will was weak and that was all he did. She was right, he was a coward. He had no claim to deny it. He cried, wishing he could take back everything, but there was no turning back now. The damage was done. His sobs echoed throughout the bathroom walls. He thought about how he had just lost the only thing he ever truly gave a damn about in this world, the only thing he tried to protect, gone. At first he thought the guilt of keeping it from her was unbearable, but this—losing her—had no words to explain. The pain of losing Hermione Granger.

He went numb.

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So, what'd y'all think? Hopefully, it was good? Thanks so much for taking the time to read! Please **_REVIEW, _REVIEW,** **REVIEW**!


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